Manufacture of hydrogen



- Other objects and advantages-of the inven-- No Drawing.

Patented Nov. 1932 UNITED STA TES PATENT orator:

ALFRED r. nsnson, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, assrenon, BY MESNE assrelmnngrs,

TO E. I.-DU PONT DE NEMOUBS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A COR- IPORATION DELAWARE MANUFACTURE OF HYDROGEN This invention relates to the production of hydro en from steam and carbon monoxide.

Hy ogen may be prepared by the catalytic reaction of steam with carbon monoxide according to the equation: CO-l-H2O=H +GO In practical operation the volume ratio of steam to hydrogen is preferably at least 1.5 1.

This process has found considerable comturing hydrogen'in-accordance with the fore-- going reaction, the invention involving the use of catalysts of superior activity, capable of greatly accelerating -the reactionand increasing the efliciency of 'the process.

tion will be apparent as it is better under; stood by reference to the following specification in which its detailsand preferred emmay be obtained inthe manufacture of by bodiments are described. Ivhave discovered that improved results drogenb'y causing-steam and carbon monoxide, mixed preferably in a volume ratio of at least 1 :'1, to react at a temperature sufficiently elevated to eifect the reaction:

in the presence of acatalyst containing copper'and one or more of certain-irreducible metallic oxides belonging to the'second to the sixth groups of the periodic, system.

Catalysts of this character are unusually ac-' tive, permit the initiation of thereaction at lower temperatures than is possible with previously known catalysts, on account of their high activity reduce the amount of heat exchange required between incoming and outgoing gases, generally increase the efficiency of the manufacturing operation and thus materially contribute to, reducing the costs of p the hydrogen produced.

ganese nitrate.

Application filed m 15, iezsl Serial No. 278,048.

tion the oxides of the elements, tungsten,

chromium, molybdenum, cerium, vanadium, manganese, uranium and magnesium. The catalysts may be prepared by various methods suitable for the manufacture 'of catalytic materials. Thus an intimate mixture of copper oxide and one or more irreducibleoxides to be incorporated therewith may be prepared by triturating, co-precipitating or fusing a mixture of the oxides. The product may then be formed into tablets or granules of suitable liminarily to reduction to convert the copper oxide to metal before the catalyst is used or alternatively the reduction of the copper oxide contained in the catalyst may be carried out in situby the reaction mixture of size and shape and, if desired, submitted pre- Ewample 1.Meltcupric oxide containingan admixture of 5% chromium oxlde,

- allow to cool, and crush to suitable-size.

Ewample fir-Ignite a mixture comprising equal moles of copper nitrate and mandecomposed allow the mass to cool and crush to suitable size.

Example 3.-Preparea dilute solution,

When the nitrate has been about 10%, comprising equal moles of copper nitrate and magnesium nitrate. Slowly add to this solution dilute ammonia, about 10%, until the characteristic. blue cupric ammonium compound begins to form. Allow the precipitate to settle,-wash by decantation; dry, and form into pellets. H

' EzrampZe, ,.-To a dilute solution containing approximately equimolecular proportions of the nitrates of copper, manganese,

t? itate in an oven at about 100 size.

' til t e wash water is practically'free from ammonium nitrate. Remove the major portion of the water by filtration, the recip; an break the dried product into fragments of suitable Example 5.-To a dilute solution containing one mole of coppersulfate and two moles a conversion.

of manganese sulfate add a solution containin three moles of ammonium (:hromate. A (1 some ammonia to complete the precipitation. Wash the precipitate until practically free from ammonium sulfate, filter the co'pper-manganese chromate mixture, dry the filter cake at approximatel 100 C. and crush it into particles of suita 1e size.

In each of the foregoing examples the catalyst before use is preferably subjected to reduction'with hydrogen at a tem erature within the range of 100-300 (3.; owever, the reduction may be effected in situ by means of the reaction mixture of steam and carbon monoxide. In manufacturing hydrogen the-catalyst chosen for the purpose is disposed in asuitable reaction apparatus through which there is passed a mixture of steam and carbon monoxide, preferably in the volume ratio of at least 1.5: 1, andpreliminarily freed from sulfur compounds and other substances deleterious to the catalyst.

The carbon monoxide used is preferably a commercial gas contalnmg large concentrationsof carbon monoxide, e. g. upward of 20% by volume. The reaction ma be carried out at atmospheric pressure, ut pressures of from about to 100 atmospheres are preferred. The temperature employed will depend upon the catalyst, the composition of the raw materials and the desired composition of the reaction products. It

must.be sufiicient to effect the desired reaction. Temperatures above300 C. and upward to 600 C. or higher. give satisfactory I have no explanation or theory to offer to changes that ma occur in the catalysts here'- m described, ei er during their preparation 0 ctul ..I' llkn th r a a use t lswe own at whfle in the presence of acatalyst containm cop materials of known form and competition may initially beintroduced into the reaction apparatusfas catalyst, the exact chemical. state in which" they exist during reaction cannot be ascertained. Consequently in the claims the term copper is used todesignate that element in either free oi chemlcally combined state; and the term oxide as ap-- plied to. the elements associated with copper includes the oxide as such, or'in combination withone or more other elements.

- The process herein. described'may belape plied to the. production ofhydrogen from reaction variet of sources, and is particularlyuse- I ful w en applied to gases containing high concentrations of carbon monoxide,.e. g. upwards of by volume of .carbon monoxide, as for example gases obtained by the direct oxidation of carbonaceous fuel or as a by-product from such processes as the manufacture of metals or metallic carbides from metallic oxides and coke. Various changes ma method herein describe from the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim: 1. The process of producing h drogen which comprises submitting. steam an carbon monoxide to the action of a catalyst at a temperature suflic-iently elevated to effect the reaction a be made in the without departing said catalyst'containing copper and an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, cerium, vanadium, manganese, and magnesium.

3. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises submitting steam and carbon monoxide to the action of a catal st at a temperature exceeding about 300" said catalyst containing. copper and an oxide of an element selected from, the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, cerium, vanadium,- manganese, and magnesi 4. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises mixing steam with a gaseous mixture containing upward of 20% of carbon monoxide and causing the steam and carbon monoxide in the resultant mixture to react according to'the reaction I 5. The process of producing h drogen cerium, vanadium, manganese, andwhich comprises submitting steam an carbon monoxide, to the action of a catalyst at a temperature sufliciently elevated to efiect the H.o+oo=H,'+oo,, said catalyst containing copper and mangan'eseoxidaf 6. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises submitting steam and carbon monoxide in a volume ratio of .at least 1.5: 1, to the action of a catalyst at a temperature sufiiciently elevated to efiect the reaction H O+CO=H +CO said catalyst containing copper and man-' ganese oxide.

7. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises submitting steam and carbon monoxide to the action of a catalyst at a temperature exceeding about 300 0., said catalyst containing copper and manganese oxide.

5 8. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises mixing steam with a gaseous mixture containing upward of of carbon monoxide and causing the steam and carbon monoxide in the resultant mixture to react 20 according to the reaction E 0 OO=H +00 in the presence of a catalyst containing copper and manganese oxide.

a 9. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises submitting steam and carbon monoxide to the action of a catalyst at a temperature sufiiciently elevated to 'eifect the reaction said catalyst containing copper, manganese oxide and chromium oxide.

10. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises submitting steam and carbon monox1de,-in a volume ratio of at least 1.5 1, to the action of a catalyst at'a temperature sufliciently elevated to efi'ect the reaction E 0 Hz 0 2 said catalyst containing copper, manganese oxide and chromium oxide.

11. The process of producing hydrogen which com rises submitting steam and carbon monoxlde to the action of a catalyst at a temperature exceeding about 300 C., said catalyst containing copper, manganese oxide and chromium oxide. I

12. The process of producing hydrogen which comprises mixing steam with a gaseous mixture containing upward'of 20% of carbon monoxide and causing the steam and carbon monoxide in the resultant mixture to react according to the reaction H O+CO=H CO, in the presence of a catalyst consisting of copper, manganese oxide and chromium oxide;

. In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. to ALFRED T. LARSON. 

